Concealed bedroom fire exit



K. J. VIGLUICCI CONCEALED BEDROOM FIRE EXIT Nov. 11, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25 1967 Nov. 11, 1969 K. J. VIGLUICCI CONCE ALED BEDROOM FIRE EXIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1967 INVENTOR.

BY Kf/V/VETA/ J W61 wcc/ United States Patent 3,477,543 CONCEALED BEDROOM FIRE EXIT Kenneth J. Vigluicci, 103 Crest Road,

Toms River, NJ. 08753 Filed Oct. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 677,394 Int. Cl. A62b 1/06, 1/20 Us: Cl. 182-76 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is a concealed bedroom fire exit behind a wall mirror. It is pre-assembled ready to install in existing homes or homes under construction.

The mirror is secured to a first inner door with a second outer door spaced apart. When the first door is opened, and a door knob in the second door is turned, a mechanism pushes the second door away from the frame and the second door is permitted to fall by gravity and expose an exit. Means in the frame such as an escape tube or rope can be used in escaping from the exit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view with the mirror and inner door removed;

FIGURE 3 is a side view;

FIGURE 4 is a view of the second door releasing mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the mechanism of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of means cooperating with the release mechanism;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along section 77 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is another cross-sectional view of section 77 showing the door knob pushed in for release of the outer door of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGURES 1-6, my invention consists of a frame work 9 with attached mirror 1 on a plywood door 7 attached by hinges and is opened with door latch 8. The mirror is attached to plywood door 7 by the mirror attachments 27. Inside the frame 9 there is attached by spring loaded clamps 14, a telescoping tube 12 consisting of 5 sections approximately 54" long with the inner most section weighted so as to draw the tube out as it swings out when the outside insulated door is detached. Tube 12 is spring loaded against the outside door 15 when it is in place, a metal plate 13 is underneath the tube and is attached to frame 9 by screws.

The lightweight outside door 15 is insulated with Styrofoam and the skin is aluminum sheet stock, with 'a plastic refrigerator door seal 16. The door is attached to the frame 9 and locked in place by latches 19 that insert in metal latch sockets 18. The latches 19 are at- 3,477,543 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 tached to -door 15 by guides 22 and plate 26 which is bolted to door 15 by bolts 31. Plate 26 is loosely attached by bolts. u t

Adoorknob 37 is attached by a bolt 30 that is square 33 halfway up the shank 38 with a grooveto take a guide pin 36 in door knob 37. A spring 43 inside knob 30 allows the knob to have its key 32 inserted in plate 26 key slot.

Springs 21 are attached to latches 19 on both sides after the door is installed so as to provide tension against latches 19. When door knob 37 is pushed in with the palm of the hand the key 32 slides out of the slot on plate 26 and the springs 21 pull latches 19 out of metal latch sockets 18 on frame 9. Plate 26 rotates on its mounts 31.

Springs 23 at each corner of frame 9 are attached afteroutside door 15 has been locked in place. They are compressed by screw caps 24 which are inserted and screwed in, When door 15 is unlatched by knob, the springs 23 on all four corners push the door 15 away from the frame 9 to fall away, as the door 15 falls away the tube 12 is spring out and the tube 12 extends down to the ground, Persons trapped can now slide down tube 12 a coil of rope 28 is attached to inside of frame 9 as is a small axe 29 to chop through to anyone trapped in adjacent room.

In existing homes this fire exit is installed in an outside bedroom wall by cutting the wall board 2 and outside sheathing 11 to size. A 2 x 4 5 is cut and the top and bottom framed in by 2 x 4 3. The frame 9 is then inserted in the opening between 2 x 4s 6 and 4.

The novel features and the operation of this device will be apparent from the foregoing description. While the device has been shown and the structure described in detail, it is obvious that this is not to be considered limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes may be made therein within the scope and the spirit of the invention.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is.

1. A concealed fire exit for bedrooms and the like which is to be mounted in an outside wall, said exit comprising:

a rectangular open frame adapted to be mounted in said wall;

an inner door secured hingedly to the inside of the frame;

a mirror secured to the inner surface of said inner door to conceal same;

an outer doorsecured to the outside of the frame and forming a removable portion of the outer wall;

a first manually operable mechanism disposed in said frame and adapted for use when the inner door is opened to release said outer door from said frame; and

a second mechanism in said frame automatically operated when said first mechanism is manually operated to push said outer door away from the wall whereby the outer door falls by gravity to expose an escape opening.

2. An exit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first mechanism includes a manually rotatable plate and a plurality of linkages secured to said plate.

3. An exit as set forth in claim 2, wherein said frame has a rectangular shape and said second mechanism includes a plurality of normally compressed but releasable springs, each spring being disposed in a suitable bore in one of the corners of the frame.

4. An exit as set forth in claim 3 further including tools such as a rope and an axe disposed in said frame for use in an escape.

include a compressed but'expafidable escape tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 43,283 6/1864 Ballantine 182 -77 145,844 12/1873 Chipley 182-77 2,658,702 11/1953 Osborne 1s2 1s9 2,965,193 12/1960 Murphy 1s2 1oo 3,259,207 7/1966 Schoefiier 182-77 5 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner 

